The present invention relates generally to paper making machines and methods. In particular, the method of the present invention relates to the cutting of a lead-in strip of a paper web and for widening or increasing the width of the lead-in strip by the so-called oblique draw technique, the method employing a cutting device situated alongside a region of an unsupported draw of the web in the dryer section. The apparatus of the invention which performs the method is of the type which includes a substantially transversely extending beam situated alongside the region of the unsupported draw of the web in the dryer section on which a traversing carriage carrying a web cutting device is mounted.
Various so-called oblique draw arrangements are known in the prior art for cutting a lead-in strip from a paper web in the dryer section of a paper machine. Such arrangements are generally provided at the dry or downstream end of the dryer section. Such conventional arrangements utilize a spike-like cutting member which acts against a drying cylinder to cut the web, the cutting member being mounted on a mechanical traverse in order to accomplish an oblique draw or cut.
However, such prior art arrangements have the drawback that the spike-like cutting member often unavoidably scores the dryer cylinder and as a consequence becomes rapidly blunted or dulled thereby impairing the quality of the cutting operation.
It is also known in the prior art to use a cutting device comprising a circular saw-type device mounted on a traversing carriage to accomplish the oblique draw or cut. Still further, the oblique draw may be accomplished by a knife-like member, manually.
The use of conventional arrangements wherein the oblique draw or cut is made on a free or unsupported draw of the web has created problems since the tension of the web varies in the cross-machine direction so that fluttering or instability in the run of the web often occurs. Therefore, in those arrangements wherein the cutting device is situated alongside a free or unsupported draw of the paper web, a positive contact of the cutting device with the passing web cannot be reliably insured. In the case where the tension in the web varies and where the cutting device causes even a slight deflection in the web run, relatively large deviations in the run of the web are experienced with respect to the cutting device.